Knob controlled night latch



Oct. 31, 1944. BAUME 2,361,734

mics CONTROLLED NIGHT LATCH Filed July 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

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ATTORNEY Oct. 31, 1944. BAUME' 2,361,734

' KNOB CONTROLLED NIGHT LATCH Filer; July 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.7

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.3 fi l INVENTOB fig]! Edwa] J. Baame,

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOB GONTROLLED NIGHT LATCH Edwall J. Baume, Long Beach, Calif. Application July 20, 1942, Serial No. 451,524

10 Claims.

This invention relates to an novel knob controlled night latch, particularly for door latches.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel knob controlled night latch wherein a control in one of the knobs of the latch will latch the knob spindle to a stationary member thus holding the knobs against rotation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel knob controlled night latch of the character stated in which the latching element, providing the night latch, is released by pulling outwardly on one of the knobs.

A feature of my invention resides in providing a knob controlled night latch of the character stated which can be quickly and easily assembled in a door in drilled bores in the door, and further in a novel means of assembling the escutcheons.

A further object of my invention is to provide a knob controlled night latch of the character stated which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and effective in operation.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of the knob assembly.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the knob assembly.

' Figure 3 is a side elevation of the knob assembly in position in a door, the door being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the clutch plates.=

Figure 5 is a plan view of, the clutch plates in assembled position. I Figure 6 is a side elevation of the knob spindle. Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same, taken at right angles to Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view of one of the escutcheons. I

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the latching arm. Figure 10 is a plan view of the latching arm. Figure his a side elevation of one of the knobs with parts broken away to show the clutch plates. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I indicates the outside knob and 2 the inside knob. The outside escutcheon plate 3 and the inside escutcheon plate 4 are assembled on each side of the door 5 and in a transverse bore 6 of said door. The knobs I and 2 can turn freely in the escutcheons 3 and 4, respectively, under normal conditions. However, when the night latch is applied as will be subsequently described, the

knobs are latched to one of the escutcheons, this latch being engageable and releasable manually as will be subsequently described. The escutcheons 3 and 4 are non-rotatably mounted on the door 5 in the following manner. A cup 1 is fixedly mounted on the escutcheon 3, and a pair of arms 8-8 project inwardly fromthe cup 1 and are fix edly attached to said cup. Screws 99 extend through the escutcheon 4 and are threaded into the'inner ends of the arms 8-8, thus securely pressing the escutcheons 3 and 4 against the door and non-rotatably holding these escutcheons. A sleeve I0 is fixedly attached to the knob I at one end and projects inwardly a sufficient distance so that it can engage the door latch operating mechanism which will be further described.

A short-sleeve. II is attached at one end to the knob 2 and projects inwardly until it'practically engages the inner end of the sleeve ID,- as shown in Figure l. A cylindrical spindle I2 fits within the. sleeves I0 and II and is also slidab'le longitudinall'y to act as a control which will be further described; The sleeve I0 is provided with a slot I3 and this slot matches a slot I4' in the spindle I2 for the purpose of receiving a latch actuating finger I 5, this finger in turn being'connecte'd to a usual and well-knowndoor latch I6. Rotation of either of the knobs I or 2 will cause rotation of the sleeve ID or the spindle [2, thus rotating the finger I 5 and actuating the latch IS in order that the door can be released when desired. The knob 2 is connected to the spindle I2-by means of the setscrew IT. This setscrew extends through the knob and the sleeve II and seats against the spindle.

' A pin l8 extends through the sleeve I0 and thence through-the spindle I2 for the purpose of connecting this sleeve to the spindle and causing these parts to rotate togetherwhen the knob I is turned. The pin I8 extends through elongated openings I9 in the spindle I Z to permit limited longitudinal movement of the spindle. A spring 20 bears against the pin I8 and against the closed end of the spindle I2; thus normally holding the spindle in what might be termed retracted position. An operating arm 2| extends into the spindle I2 from the inner knob end. This operating arm' is also provided with an elongated opening 22 through which the pin I8 passes. This elongated opening permits the operating arm to move longitudinally for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the'night latch; A spring-pressed button 23 is mounted in the knob 2 and is normallypressed outwardly by the spring 24,. The control arm 2| assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, when the night latch is not engaged. By pushing inwardly on the button 23, this control arm is pushed inwardly to engage the night latch. A latching pin 25 is fixedly mounted on the control arm 2|, preferably by bending this control arm around the pin substantially as shown. The control pin 25 extends transversely through the spindle l2 which is slotted as shown at 26 to permit longitudinal movementof the pin;

The escutcheon 3 isformed with a latching disk 21, and this disk is formed with a pair of diametrically spaced slots 28, in which the pill;

25 is moved when the control a 1jm 2| ispushed inwardly. When the pin 25 enters the-slots 28,

the spindle I2 is latched to the stationary ess.

cutcheon 3 and thus the knobs I and 2 are held against rotation and the latch l6-can-not be'operated. The knob 2 has a limited longitudinal movement in the escutcheon 4. By pulling outwardly on-the knob 2, the spindle I2 is caused to engage the end of the control arm 2|, thus movingthe'control'arm outwardly and pulling the pin-25 outof theslots 28. The knobs I and 2 are-thenfree to rotate andoperate the latch Hi; In order that the pin 25 may be-restrained in eitherthe latched or-unlatched position, I provide a pair of semi-cylindrical clutch plates 28--30 which encircle the sleeve l0 and are yieldably pressed against the sleeve by a circular spring 3|. The plates 29+-3ll are-provided with complementary open-ended slots 32, and a notch 33* spaced-therefrom; In released position the pin--25 rests in-the,match-ing slots 32, and in latched. position, this pin is held in the latch grooves 33, thusthe pin 25 isheld in either latched or unlatched position and is prevented from being accidentally :moved out of "either of these-positions.-

The spring 3| is-rather-lightand consequently the. night latch can be either setor released with: out'a great dealer-effort. Akey-34 which con.- sists vmerely-eta straight pin may be usedto engage the closed end of the spindle l2 andpush this spindleinwardly, thus releasing the pin 25 I from itsdatching position, enabling the door-to be then released irom the outside.

Having described'my invention, Iclaim:

.1. A knob controlled-night latch comprising a pair ofg'knobs, aspindle-extending between said knobsand operatively connected thereto, a stationaryv member, manually operated latching means extending from one of said knobs, means on saidstationary'member engageable by said latching means, and a button in one of said I.

knobs to actuate said latching means, and one of said jknobs :being attached to said spindle; said spindle being. longitudinally movable by. said knob and said spindle engaging said latching means on longitudinal movement to release said latching means from its latching position.

2. A knob controlled night lateh comprising a pairof knobs, a tubularspindle extending be: tween said. knobs and rotatable thereby, a fixe'd escutcheon, said escutcheon havi-ng'a notch-therein, a. pin adapted to enter saidnotch, acontrol arm within the spindle extending from the pin to: oneof the knobs, and meansfor operating said arm from one of the knobs.

3. A: knob controlled night la-tch comprising a pair of knobs, a-tubular spindle extending between saidknobs and-rotatable thereby, afixed escutcheon, said escutcheon having a notch therein, a. pin adaptedto enter said-notch, a control arm extending from the pin and within'the spindle, said control arm extending to one of the knobs and operable fromsaid knob, and a button in said knob engageable with the end of said control arm to actuate the same, said spindle being longitudinally slidable, one of the knobs being attached to the spindle whereby the spindle may be moved longitudinally, said spindle engaging said arm on longitudinal movement of the spindle to retract said pin from said notch.

4. A knob controlled night latch comprising a'pair of knobs, a spindleextending between said knobs and operatively connected thereto, a stationary member, manually operated latching means extending from one of said knobs, means 'on said stationary member engageable by said latching means, and a button in one of said knobs to actuate said latching means, and clutch means engaging said manually operated latching means whereby said last named means is held in engaged and disengaged position.

5: A knob controlled night latch comprising a pair-of knobs, a tubular spindle extending between said knobs and rotatable thereby, a fixed escutcheon, said escutcheon having a notch therein, a pin adaptedto enter said notch, a control arm extending from the pin and within the spindle, said control arm extending to one of the knobs and operable from said knob, and clutch means engaging said pin whereby the pin is held-in notch-engaging and disengaging position.

6. A knob controlled night latch comprising a pairof knobs, a longitudinally movable spindle extending between said "knobs and rotatable thereby, a pair of fixed escutcheon plates, one of said escutcheon plates having a notch therein, a pin movable into and out of Said notch, an armextending from the pin to one of the knobs, a button in the laste-namedknob engageable with said arm, andclutch means engagin saidpin in engaged and disengaged position, one of said knobs'being secured to the spindle and adapted to move said spindle longitudinally, and a connection between said spindle and the arm so that on longitudinal movement of the spindle the pin is moved from engaged to disengaged position.

7. In a latch construction, a pair of knobs, a a hollow latch operating spindle-interconnecting said knobs, a lost-motion connection in said spindlewhereby one of said knobs may be axially shifted relative to the other, means mounted within said spindle operable from one of said knobs to secure said spindle against latch releasing operation, and means responsive to, axial movement of one of said knobs causing release of said spindle securing means.

8.- In a-latch construction, a hollow, rotatable latch operating spindle, aknob connected to said spindle by a lost-motion connection whereby the spindle may be shifted axially relative to the knob, a second knob directly connected to said spindle, means carried within said spindle adapted to engage a fixed part tosecure the spindle against rotation, means in said second knob for causing said securing means to engage said fixed part, andmeans responsive to axial'shift of said second knob rendering said securing means inoperative.

9. In a latch construction, a fixed escutcheon, a rotatable knob, a spindle, a lost-motion connection between said spindle and knob, spring means normally urging said spindle-toward said knob, a second knob directly connected to said spindle whereby the spindle may be axially shifted away from said rotatable knob in opposition to said spring means, means extending from said spindle adapted to cooperate with said escutcheon to prevent rotation of said rotatable knob, means controllable from said second knob adapted to cause said rotation preventing means to become eflective, means for retaining said rotation preventing means in efiective position, and means responsive to axial shift of said spine dle by said second knob to render said rotation preventing means ineffective.

10. In a latch construction, a fixed escutcheon, a rotatable knob, a spindle, a lost-motion connection between said spindle and knob, spring [means normally urg'ing said spindle toward said controllable fromsaid second knob adapted to cause said latching means to become effective,

friction means for retaining said latching means in efiect-ive position, and lost-motion means responsive to axial shift of said spindle by said second knob to render said latching means ineffective.

EDWALL J. BAUME. 

